Wen's memory of Zhao

YESTERDAY, the 21st anniversary of HuYaobang's death, Wen Jiabao's article abouthow the former Communist Party of China(CPC) general secretary worked when he was hisimmediate subordinate appeared in the People's Daily.Hu Yaobang's image as an honest, hard-working andaffable leader shows forth in this article, which is bothsubstantial and well written. Wen Jiabao, who is now atop leader, did work directly under Zhao Ziyang. If oneday he writes an article to share with the public whathappened when he worked with him, Chinese politicswill no longer be suffocating, and all would be happy.Such a political atmosphere is what Chinese peoplelove to see.

Wen Jiabao's article has drawn much attentionhere. One reason is that it is well written. However, thekey reason is that it is about Hu Yaobang. It is 21years since June 4 took place. However, few HongKong people can put the tragedy behind them. HuYaobang's death sparked protests in TiananmenSquare, which culminated in a pro-democracymovement in which about a million students andcitizens took part. Incumbent premier Wen Jiabao'sarticle about Hu Yaobang cannot but arouse muchattention. In Hong Kong, when it comes to HuYaobang, many would think of efforts to crack down onguandao (official profiteering) and corruption. HuYaobang was honest and incorruptible. That is why hisimage as an upright man has never tarnished.Corruption is prevalent in mainland officialdom, but HuYaobang was honest and incorruptible. People wouldtherefore all the more cherish his memory.

When Zhao Ziyang was toppled as CPC generalsecretary because of June 4, Wen Jiabao was directorof the general office of the CPC central committee.Zhao Ziyang was accompanied by Wen Jiabao whenhe went to Tiananmen Square to speak to studentsthere. That was the last time he appeared in public. Aclassic photo shows Wen Jiabao standing behind him.By then Wen Jiabao had worked directly under ZhaoZiyang for two years. They presumably worked veryclosely together during that period, and one shouldthink Wen Jiabao knows very well how he worked anddealt with people then. Wen Jiabao's article about acertain episode which happened when he workedunder Zhao Ziyang would surely be very readable.Needless to say, it would be immensely sensational ifhe published an article about what Zhao Ziyang didduring June 4.

Because he sympathised with students and wasagainst using force to quell the protest, Zhao Ziyangwas accused of "splitting the party". No sooner had hemet students that night in Tiananmen Square than hedisappeared from the public eye. He lived under housearrest for 16 years until he died of illness in 2005. AfterJune 4, whatever is about Zhao Ziyang is a taboo onthe mainland. There is no way one can find out whatbecame of him. One may get "looked after" by theauthorities if one does what may have anything to dowith Zhao Ziyang. Zhao Ziyang, who did lead thecountry as premier and CPC general secretary, musthave had excellent capabilities and achievements.However, his memory has been banished frommainland officialdom as if he had never existed. Evenhis photos have been erased. That is an aspect ofChinese politics that would send a chill down one'sspine.

It is our fond wish that Wen Jiabao would write anarticle in memory of Zhao Ziyang. However, such is thepolitical situation on the mainland that we do not thinkthis is likely to happen in what remains of his term orthe next decade. If, "amazingly", such an article ispublished, one may say China is on the road topolitical modernisation. We look forward to the daywhen China is free, democratic, prosperous andpowerful!

明報英語網「雙語社評」

english.mingpao.com/critic.htm

期望溫家寶公開緬懷趙紫陽之日來臨

明報社評

2010.04.16

昨日是中共前總書記胡耀邦逝世21 周年，溫家寶總理在《人民日報》發表文章，緬懷他在胡耀邦領導下的一個工作片斷，寫得情文並茂，胡耀邦淳樸、勤政、親民的形象，躍然紙上。這篇文章，使人聯想到溫家寶也曾經在趙紫陽直接領導下工作，以溫家寶現在的顯赫地位，設若有朝一日，他能夠如緬懷胡耀邦一樣，撰文公開與趙紫陽共事的一些片片斷斷，與全國人民分享；果能如此，顯示中國政治走出了予人窒息的暗角，大家都身心舒暢。這樣的政治氛圍，是國人所樂見的。

至於在本港，不少市民也注意這篇文章，溫家寶寫得好是原因之一，對於不少市民而言，文章的吸引力，「胡耀邦」三個字是關鍵詞。不少香港市民的六四情結，在慘劇發生21 年之後，仍然極其濃烈，而胡耀邦之死，觸發和演變至百萬學生和民衆在天安門的爭取民主運動，現在當權的總理溫家寶怎樣寫胡耀邦，肯定備受關注。另外，在本港，不少人提到胡耀邦，都聯想到反官倒、反貪污腐敗，胡耀邦為官清廉，這是他死後正直形象屹立不衰的原因。中國官場的貪污腐敗現狀，與胡耀邦的淳樸清廉對照，胡耀邦自是更令人懷念了。

趙紫陽在中共總書記任內，因為六四事件下台，當時溫家寶是中共中央辦公廳主任，趙紫陽最後一次公開露面，即到天安門廣場探望學生的一幕，溫家寶陪同，趙紫陽拿着擴音器對學生講話的經典圖片，溫家寶就站在趙紫陽背後。當時，趙紫陽和溫家寶的職位，兩人的直屬領導和被領導關係約兩年，工作應該甚為緊密，撇開六四事件，趙紫陽的處事行誼作風，溫家寶理應知之甚詳。設若有朝一日，溫家寶憶述與趙紫陽共事某一特定事態，反映其人其事，這篇文章肯定可讀性甚高。當然，設若溫家寶能夠撰寫並公開發表「六四事件中的趙紫陽」，就更轟動了。

趙紫陽在六四事件中同情學生，反對武力鎮壓，被中共指為「分裂黨」，趙紫陽當日夜裏探望學生後，即從民衆的目光消失，過了16 年被幽禁的生活，2005 年病逝。六四事件後，趙紫陽的一切，在中國大陸成為忌諱，民衆無從得知他的情况，若做一些與趙紫陽有關的事，也可能受到官府「關顧」。趙紫陽能夠曾經官至總理、總書記，領導國家，他的能力、政績肯定有過人之處，但是中國官場像他這樣的人，被打入另冊，活像從未存在過一樣，連一些照片也被抹掉。這是中國政治讓人從心底裏打冷顫之處。

期望溫家寶撰寫文章緬懷趙紫陽，只是我們的浮想連篇，以中國的政治現實，不但溫總任內無可能，相信未來10 年都不可能發生。不過，如果溫家寶緬懷趙紫陽的文章， 「竟然」可以公開發表，則顯示中國已經走上政治現代化的道路。這樣的中國，是我們所企盼的自由民主富強的中國！

Glossary

affable / 'af?b(?)?/

pleasant, friendly and easy to talk to.

topple / 't?p(?)?/

To topple a person is make him lose hisposition of power.

chill

feeling of fear.

In the translation of our April 14 editorial there is a typo. "It is party because" should read "it is partlybecause". We apologise to our readers. -ed